OPINION: A good first step

Ford Motor Co. is smart to announce profit/loss figures for its Premier Automotive Group. The automaker has pinned much of its future success on its collection of European luxury brands. The financial performance of those companies - Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin - should be just as available to investors as the results of the rest of the company.

Beginning with the announcement of Ford's first-quarter numbers on April 16, PAG's results no longer will be hidden within Ford of Europe's results. But this raises a question: As long as Ford is going that far, why not make public the numbers of PAG's individual companies, too? And while we're at it, General Motors should disclose Saab's results.